A Friend in the Undead: Tv Tropes
by Pikmin-Volt
Summary: So, I've decided to start a Tv Tropes page on my most favorite writing, A Friend in the Undead. I've already got a jump on a few categories, and as I crank out more, I would like to share some kid-friendly prototypes of them. Please comment and tell me what's good and what's missing.
1. Chapter 1

A Friend in the Undead: Tv Tropes: Nightmare Fuel

Oh, look! A Yoshi fanfiction! Aww… And it's even referencing Yoshi's Woolly Wo- Huh? This one talks about… Spooky Yoshi? The one with the strange eyes?... There… can't be any nightmarish moments in this at least, right? Oh…

Chapter 1:

· As is per typical Halloween-style story, nothing really scary happens at the beginning. All we're shown here is the typical happy celebrating of the Yoshis to include our protagonist, Kaleb, as they get ready for a party called Fruit Fest. However, Kaleb stays behind since he feels like he hasn't collected enough fruits for the Yoshis to eat. Even the others feel uneasy about leaving him behind, even though he insists that they do so. This case of Adult Fear is a situation that's all too real in this world as much as in the story. Kaleb is basically staying behind in a dangerous place where monsters _of any kind_ could harm him.

o Which leads us to…

Chapter 2:

· The first shot of this chapter depicts a boy- no- a _delinquent_ of the HIGHEST ORDER. The story describes his appearance as average, but when it gets to what's INSIDE… _Oh, goodness…_

o He is basically a brat who hates all things that people of blind hatred assume to be "sunshine and rainbows." In his terms, this means the _Yoshis_. Ever since he's heard of their existence, he's despised them. Whether it's because of jealousy or just because "he loves to ruin people's days" is yet unknown, but it's already highly unsettling.

o Apparently, his aggressive mind was left unchecked at an age of _5 YEARS OLD. WHAT HAPPENED?!_

· So, what does he plan to do? He wants the Yoshis to go EXTINCT. Which begs the question, _how does he plan to make this a REALITY?_

· He's wearing a belt laced with vials of POISON. This (probably) 11-year old child, a person that should be innocent at such an age, is walking around with KILLING LIQUID.

· Remember how Kaleb opted to stay behind to collect more fruit in the forest? _HE'S STILL THERE AS THE BOY IS PROWLING THROUGH LIKE A PREDATOR_ as the story itself would describe it. He's unlucky enough to be the boy's first (and thankfully last) victim, as what happens next shows us JUST how _heartless_ the little scum is.

· The assault scene, FULL STOP. The brat pins down the poor dino, and without hesitation, force-feeds him one of the vials of his poison. Kaleb then suffers the effects almost instantly, turning pale and feeling pain all over, and WHAT does the guy do in return?! He chucks Kaleb into a pile of leaves which he buries him in, making _sure_ that he can't be found, even stomping Kaleb's hand when he attempts to get out of the foliage. The last words in this chapter are Kaleb's pleas for help…

Chapter 3

· The fact that Kaleb's hero Olly is in a race against time to save him before it's too late. It's a situation that is again all too real in this world where many victims of physical attack are raced to hospitals. Olly's parents emphasizing the matter in the next chapter only adds more fuel to the fire.

Chapter 4

· When Olly's scanners detect how much poison is in Kaleb's body, the _majority_ of it has been tainted. How many times does the author want to remind us how little time there is to save Kaleb? That's not even the worst part of this chapter…

· When Olly gives Kaleb the antidote to the poison, Kaleb returns to normal and all seems to be well. Then, they start to head back upstairs so that they can formulate a plan to save the other Yoshis, knowing well that the villain is still out there somewhere. However, Olly's feelings of triumph and hope are _immediately_ quashed when he hears the sound of crashing at the bottom of the stairs. He turns around, and he sees that Kaleb is back to the brink of death…

Chapter 5

· Kaleb's transformation, or rather, the fact that Olly was forced to watch it occur. No one at any point has seen a Yoshi suddenly turn green or anything of the like in some areas after death. He can only assume that Kaleb's body is now just a _decaying shell_. His suspicions are especially driven after Kaleb's eyes are revealed to be a blank-colored _black_.

o The last fact mentioned also implies that for a moment or so, Kaleb WAS actually and fully _dead_ by technical means.

· The raid on Olly's house. It seems as if the unnamed villain's family has been told where Kaleb was taken to, and any thoughts that the parents and their other son are innocent are struck _down_ upon their introduction sequence. They just barge in and demand answers from Olly's parents like they're the police or something. Then, when Olly comes upstairs and defends his family, he exposes them all for the frauds they are by revealing the poison. At that moment, Kaleb, who has woken up in his new state, gets upstairs just in time to see what's going on. Frightened, and rightfully so, he hides behind the door, yet as he does so, the enemy family _abducts_ Olly's family and takes them away. Kaleb had to watch _all_ of this unfold.

· From the other Yoshis' perspective, Kaleb's disappearance. He's gone, and like the true family they are, they think it's their fault. They're basically experiencing the most excruciating phases of the adult fear that something terrible has happened to their friend and brother after trying to believe that he is okay.

· From Kaleb's perspective, seeing what he has become after death. Heck, even finding out that he is _undead_. In a matter of a few hours, he's gone from a very eccentric Yoshi to a very depressed and panicking Yoshi who doesn't know what to do now that he's a "freak." His entire _world_ is crumbling away, and his personality and demeanor are changing for the worse. Thank GOODNESS the others found him in time.

o Even after the events of the main story, he still has to relive this horrible moment over and over again.

Chapter 6

· Kaleb's outburst on Yoshi certainly counts. If you think about it, the undead dinosaur basically looks like he's about to attack Yoshi for trying to _cheer him up_ , and it _won't_ be pretty. What would have happened if Kaleb wasn't a Yoshi and his heart wasn't as pure as his friend's?

o The reason that Yoshi is terrified in this scene? It is because of the reason listed in chapter five, mainly that his friend has changed in personality. He could care less that his looks have changed, as he is still Kaleb to the rest of them. However, this too appears to be a fading possibility, as the Kaleb that he knows is still in there seems to also be dying as a traumatic effect of the transformation.

o Oh, yeah… Since Kaleb has emotionally color-coded eyes too now, they're blazing red right at this moment.

Chapter 7

· As the Yoshis trek through the dark forest, there's just that loom of suspense throughout the entire chapter, none of them nor the audience knowing who will strike and when.

o On a side note, when the magical blasts that come out of nowhere nearly hit them, Kaleb again takes responsibility and runs off. Once again, we're treated to the realism of being afraid of oneself.

· When the Yoshis are captured by Kamek and Bowser, it REALLY looks like this is it for them this time. The author has noted sometimes that this takes place after the German Yoshi's Story comic, the one where the black Yoshi (named Parker in this story) comes to save them. Since he too is captured this time and Kaleb has run off, it really looks like the end for them.

Chapter 8

· Though this and essentially every other instance of Kaleb's display of power are a crowning moment of awesome, Kaleb basically shows the Koopa Troop and its leaders what happens if you threaten his friends. They are all swallowed by darkness, scared straight to the point that they faint, vaporized by poison, crushed by rocks, and as a grand finale, banished into a black hole dimension where they are ALL, Bowser and Kamek _included_ , seemingly killed off. Kaleb decided to _spare_ them and respawn them all at their castle, well… because he's a Yoshi. But imagine that… That he had the power to just END them all in less than a few minutes… It's a good thing such powers fell into the hands of him, huh?

o In the following chapter, Kaleb looks like he's about to punish some Shy Guys in the same manner again, and they look _horrified_. Who cares if he'll let them live? Surely, the process must've been a nightmare in itself.

Chapter 11

· Kamek's attack on Craft Island, especially through Kaleb's eyes. Suddenly, his and the other Yoshi's special powers are nullified without apparent rhyme or reason, though Kaleb is able to detect Kamek's presence using the last bit of energy he has. Then, he's forced to watch as all of his friends, one by one, are unraveled into pieces before he himself joins them.

o Though he was going to be hit by the magic anyways, the way that it went down was that he took the blow for another Yoshi nearby. This only bought the latter a few seconds. Kamek even notes this.

o When Kaleb is saved, he reveals that despite being split into pieces, he and the other victims were still ALIVE throughout it all. Keep in mind that Kamek's original purpose was to use their bodies to construct a new castle for Bowser… Yeah.

o The fact that Kamek was basically finishing what the unnamed antagonist started. If he had gotten Yoshi and Mikey, the Yoshis really WOULD have gone extinct.

Chapter 12

· Also tying in with tearjerker, Kaleb's inner fears get to be seen by the audience. Imagine being afraid of being rejected for your appearance… Oh, wait. That feeling exists in this world…

· Whatever happened to Olly and his family? Are they still alive? Or did the other family…?


	2. Tearjerker

A Friend in the Undead: Tv Tropes: Tearjerker

Given how this is a fanfiction about how a _Yoshi_ that loses his own _life_ , I think at least ONE tearjerker moment is a given.

Chapter 1

· Before the _main tragedy_ even starts, we get our first tearjerker moment in the form of Kaleb becoming distraught over not collecting enough fruits. He is quick to berate himself for his "shortcoming" as the others rush to comfort their sobbing friend. It really sets an early picture of how much he cares about his brothers, doesn't it?

o What's worse is that Kaleb's decision to stay behind and find more out of guilt is what sets the tragedy to follow in motion.

Chapter 2

· Crossing with nightmare fuel, the assault scene where the new unnamed antagonist pins down Kaleb and forces poison into him. Kaleb is seen begging for mercy and trying to get out, only to watch as he is overwhelmed by the toxic substance, turning pale and becoming motionless. The villain then takes it a step further, and throws the poor thing into some leaves to cover up the evidence. Kaleb tries to get out, but the brat coldheartedly stomps his hand at that moment, forcing Kaleb to withdraw into the leaves and hope that help will come. His last words in that chapter?

 _"_ _Please… Someone… Help me…"_

Chapter 3

· From Olly's perspective definitely, seeing Kaleb's dying state as soon as he's uncovered. Up until this point, Olly has never seen a Yoshi in person, so imagine the shock of seeing your favorite creature _on the brink of death._

· Olly struggling to find his way out of the forest with Kaleb in tow. He knows that he's against the clock here, yet he's stuck in an endless loop in the place. He's starting to fear that he might not even be able to get Kaleb to his house before he passes on, until _Kaleb himself_ shows him the way with what little strength he has left. By the time Olly makes it out of the forest, Kaleb has gone limp, to which he begs his patient not to leave so soon and to hold out just a little longer. This chapter ends with Kaleb looking at him with a weak but loving smile.

Chapter 4

· Olly showing his parents what has become of Kaleb can count, to include the parents' reaction. The author is REALLY trying to escalate the tension.

· Olly and his parents' brief yet strong debate. Olly knows that they can't get Kaleb to an official hospital in time, so he proposes that he use his knowledge and skills to save him. His parents object, his father saying that his skills aren't developed, and his mother blurting out on impulse that he might fail. Following this, Olly counters with the fact that he was searching for the Yoshis to find some friends, and that now it is time to _be_ one to one of them in need. He is afraid of failure to, but as he says it, if not him, then who else will do it? His parents finally relent upon hearing this, and his mother even apologizes. As he takes Kaleb to his little makeshift lab, Kaleb gives a small wave to his parents. That right there… *sniff* Is a family…

· So, Olly has just administered the antidote to Kaleb, and following a brief conversation between the two, Kaleb seems to be returning to normal. As even Olly goes into shock that it worked, Kaleb gets up and profusely thanks his new friend, hugging him and reverting to his jolly old self. Nothing could possibly go wrong here, right? As Olly and Kaleb start heading upstairs to save the other Yoshis from the villain however, Olly hears some crashing noises from behind him. Turning around, it's Kaleb, and he's lying down on the brink of death again.

Chapter 5

· When Olly tries to find something else that can save his friend, his panic increases as he realizes that nothing more can be done. He himself breaks into bawling hysterics as the prospect of Kaleb's death dawns upon him. Like any good doctor that has failed, he begins breaking into tears… as Kaleb himself puts a hand on him with some final words…

o _"_ _I-It's… okay… I don't want- you- to think that y-you're a f-failure for this. Y-You w-w-were brave enough to t-try.."_

o Olly then shouts in despair as Kaleb seemingly leaves the living. He then gets a front-row seat to his subsequent transformation. He watches in horror as he adopts the green and purple color scheme along with the jack-o-lantern smile that Spooky Yoshi is known for. He opens an eyelid, and sees nothing but a blank expanse of _black_. For what he knows, Kaleb's body is already _decaying!_ He won't even get to bury him at this rate!

§ (Of course, this is just a transformation sequence, not Kaleb's absolute departure, so thankfully there isn't any decaying.)

§ HOWEVER, for the entirety of the time that Kaleb's eyes are blank, he _is actually dead_.

o Olly's family hears his crying, and they can't help but do the same. To have to jump into action at such an early age, only to fail to save a life… To say that their son is scarred is an understatement.

· Then comes the scene where the villain's _family_ barges in. They show absolutely no pity or sympathy that Kaleb has perished, fully revealing that all of them are pure evil. While Olly's family doesn't know that they're the _ones_ yet, they certainly pick up on the hints that they're here for Kaleb's body, and not for a good reason. As Olly himself hears the argument from below and rushes upstairs, not wanting to lose them as well, he ends up exposing the criminals for who they are as soon as he finds the poison attached to the boy responsible. Meanwhile, Kaleb has woken up in his new form, and instead of wondering what's happened to himself, goes upstairs and finds Olly defending his family from the boy he hoped he would never see again. Scared, he hides behind the door, only to regret doing so when he sees Olly's family being taken hostage by the other. Even as he musters up his courage to try and save his friend, Olly himself, as he's being walked out the door, sees what Kaleb has now become. The look of sheer horror on his face sells it to the viewers that he now feels guilty to the highest extreme. Then, as Kaleb looks like he wants to go after them, Olly just gives him a sad headshake, not wanting Kaleb to be captured as well as undead. It's almost like he's saying that he deserves his fate since he couldn't give Kaleb a better one himself. Kaleb then watches in tears as his family is driven off to who-knows-where, feeling guilty for cowering in fear. He feels like he failed to repay a life debt to his friend that saved him. He then spends the next few minutes sulking in the empty house before resolving to find his friends so that they can save Olly and stop the brat.

· Speaking of the other Yoshis, THEY feel guilt too for what's happened to their friend. Well, to be fair, they don't know yet, but they know that something's gone horribly wrong since he hasn't come back for the last FIVE hours. They're experiencing the most excruciating moment of adult fear where they must come to terms that something awful has happened to their loved one.

o In a good and heartwarming way, but the fact that Yoshi and his friends would go as far as go back into the forest to find their friend, despite the danger the forest might present them, especially as night approaches.

· Then of course… comes the big reveal for Kaleb. As he's going through the forest, he takes note of how it seems unusually brighter. He doesn't let this distract him from heading back to his friends, but what happens next does more than that. He encounters some of Bowser's minions who attempt to corner and pummel or capture him. Only… when they see his new face, they turn around and run about like headless chickens, hinting to Kaleb that something is _very_ wrong. He's left in innocent confusion for a few seconds before he suddenly realizes that he fell unconscious during the treatment. Scared out of his mind as to what could have happened to him in that timeframe, he goes to a nearby river, and within an instant, his entire _demeanor_ changes… Poor Kaleb…

o Poor Kaleb is an understatement really. His new appearance terrifies him not only because of how it looks to him, but also because it practically SCREAMS to him one message. He didn't just fall unconscious. He _died_. He _knows_ in that moment that he's _undead_ , and the revelation HURTS. He just breaks down on the ground, crying as visions of rejection start to enter his mind.

§ What's worse is that he honestly wouldn't blame his friends if they ran away from him. The author notes in a couple of conversations with others that he bases this story as a sequel to the German Yoshi's Story comic, in where the other Yoshis thought the black Yoshi that was introduced in that (named Parker in this story) was some sort of foreign being (which was of course before he saved them from Kamek). However, this is an entirely new case, as Kaleb, even though he might be the same in spirit (thankfully), is now the very first undead Yoshi of his kind. His fear of being rejected is justified, because he's become new AND supernatural at the same time. Oh, and in case we didn't make this clear, it's _against his will_.

o Then comes another revelation along with the first one shortly after it. As Kaleb begins _bawling endlessly_ , he suddenly creates a whirlwind that lifts him into the air. As he crashes back down, he takes note that he has new powers that Yoshis aren't normally known for. Rather than be amazed or interested even that he has them now, he's so innocent that he leads himself to believe that his new abilities give him all the more reason to run away into the forest and into isolation. Kind of takes one back to when Elsa from Frozen felt like she needed to be shut off society for the safety of those she loved.

§ Even more so, this moment as a whole is reminiscent of the scene in Frankenweenie when Sparky sees that he's undead and breaks down.

· What would have happened if Kaleb had gone into the forest forever? Not only would things haven't gone so well for his friends in the future (due to future events that would have never happened), but Kaleb _himself_ would have found himself in an eternally depressing life consisting of nothing but interacting with creatures the Yoshis consider _enemies_. While Kaleb himself would certainly never join them, one can only imagine the scenario of the poor thing being mocked endlessly by the neighboring monsters and crying rivers of tears, all while his uncontrollable powers cause him even more grief. It's a _really_ good thing that the others found him when they did.

Chapter 6

· The opening of this chapter as Kaleb reviewing what has just happened in the last few hours, and it is _depressing_. He basically started the day out as a joyous normal Yoshi unable to contain his excitement for the upcoming Fruit Fest. Presently, he has been a victim of animal abuse, and as if that weren't traumatizing enough, he has basically lost his _life_ (in the undead way of course). Who WOULDN'T want to break into waterworks upon such a discovery? Just makes you want to give poor Kaleb a hug.

o And think about this: throughout the story, it's implied that out of all of his friends, Kaleb is considered the _youngest_. He lost his life at such an early age when he still had so much ahead of him.

· Then, his friends come along and find him with his back turned, on the ground, sobbing. All the times before when he heard his name being called out by them (Take the beginning of the story, for example.), he would joyously rush over to his friends, unable to wait for what fun times he would experience next with them. This time? He bolts off in the other direction without hesitation, unable to _imagine_ their possible reactions to his new appearance.

o The others _know_ that something's not right when Kaleb does this. They're all left wondering what could have happened to their friend and brother back in the forest. As they give chase to him, they don't relent in their search for him, but they do start crying in desperation when they can't find him after a long time.

§ _"_ _Please, Kaleb!" "Why are you hiding?" "Please come back!"_

· Yoshi finds him after what feels like forever, but he only gets to feel the joy of finding a lost friend for a moment before he sees that Kaleb has become so withdrawn into himself that he won't let his friend come _near_ him. He doesn't understand why Kaleb is suddenly a recluse, and it _worries_ him. Not helping is that Kaleb outright tells him that he's not the same person he once knew before. Kaleb feels like his _personality_ is dying, and that he can't be saved by anyone, not even his friends. He keeps trying to shoo him away, telling him that he would just run away anyways if he saw his face. Yoshi does not relent in the slightest however, which causes Kaleb to scream in grief and frustration, giving up on any hope of making his friend go.

o Kaleb wants Yoshi to leave, not only for the latter's safety, but so that he can still remember Kaleb as the friend he was instead of the "abomination" that he's become.

o This scene is all to relatable to people who have been overcome with depression. To both them and their loved ones, it's like they HAVE become a completely different person compared to the bright and cheery soul they once probably were.

· Seeing how Yoshi won't back down from trying to help him, Kaleb gives him one last chance to go in the form of a warning; a warning that takes a line _straight_ from Ben Solo/Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

o _"_ _If I show you my face, what do you think you'll see?"_

· Naturally, Yoshi responds with, _"What do I THINK I'll see? I KNOW I'll see the face of my dear friend! The friend I had ever since we were little toddlers!"_

· Kaleb then turns around and shows him what happened while he was gone, which causes Yoshi to gasp in shock. Kaleb, taking this as a sign of repulsion, turns back around and continues sobbing, telling Yoshi that he would regret this.

o Yoshi didn't gasp because of Kaleb's appearance. He went into shock, because he basically got to see a visual of how he _failed_ to protect his friend from harm. As if _this_ didn't make him feel like a bad enough friend…

· As Yoshi tries to comfort his friend, he's met with a thundering _"ENOUGH!"_ as Kaleb turns around, and his eyes are glowing _red_. Yoshi instantly gets the message through his friend's emotionally color-coded eyes that he's angry at him, but what he says next makes him wonder if Kaleb will ever come back.

o Basically, Kaleb is shouting in grief that contrary to what Yoshi might believe, he's stuck as an undead "freak" _forever_ , and nothing can help fix that. He's absolutely _done_ with feeling sunshine and rainbows now that he's an outcast to the Yoshis. He _knows_ the gravity of the situation, and he's trying to make this point clear as day to his friend. All while this happens, Yoshi is trembling in teary fear.

§ The reason for his fear? He could care less if his friend's appearance has changed now. Except, his _friend_ might be _dying_ in the inside, and he may never come back to give the other Yoshis the joy that he brought them before countless times. Kaleb's trauma and immediate self-assumption that he's a monster now are robbing the green dino of his friend, and he's frightened that he may never see that loving heart he knew for so long again. He's holding the strong belief that he was a terrible friend to Kaleb. Not helping is that since the Yoshis have learned their lesson on diversity from the Yoshi's Story comic, Yoshi is certainly dealing with the guilt of treating new-colored Yoshis as foreign in his past.

· Following the outburst, Kaleb drops down again with blue eyes and continues crying, this time because he fears that he's lost his last vestige of his former self, which is his friends. He thinks that in frightening his friend, he has slewed off the last of himself, and that now, he is a lonely creature of darkness. Imagine his surprise when he sees _all_ of his friends gathered around him, looking down at him in total sympathy with tears in their eyes as well.

· As a result of this heartwarming development, Kaleb is left in shock and awe of why they would love and stay by a "monster like him." As the other Yoshis are telling him otherwise, you can see the desperation to bring him back in their encouraging words to him. They _know_ that they're in danger of losing their beloved friend, and they're doing all they _can_ to keep him.

o Kaleb thankfully listens to these words of encouragement, and after Yoshi tells him that he's still one of them, he practically glomps his friend in tearful happiness. He feels that this moment is the start of his healing.

§ Unfortunately, he finds out in the next chapter that the trials won't be easy.

· When asked about how this happened, Kaleb is absolutely horrified to speak (evidenced by his dark purple eyes). He's reliving the terrible memory of the last five hours of his life, and it's a _trauma trigger_.

· When he finally finishes his story, the other Yoshis THEMSELVES are crying. They basically got to hear the story of how they _failed_ to save their Kaleb from _death itself_ , and now THEIR spirits have dropped. In their grief, they _all_ feel like the worst friends ever… until _Kaleb_ comforts him.

· For the first time in his new state, Kaleb's eyes glow a happy yellow when he realizes that they really _do_ think of him as a friend despite his change. With his happiness back, he tells the others that it's not their fault, and the next words that he says are a mantra that's absolutely _heartmelting_.

o _"You saved me from becoming someone else, because no matter how I might change on the outside, you reminded me that on the inside, I am a happy and cheerful Yoshi who won't let even death keep him down!"_

§ To this day, it's a mantra he lives by.

· When Kaleb says that the situation isn't just his problem anymore, it can be kind of a shock to the readers (and the other Yoshis as well) that he would feel like that this is his problem. Yoshi states that it never was his problem, and he's 100% right. Looks like the scars of the event are still there unsurprisingly.

Chapter 7

· Kaleb calling himself a "useless undead being." The Yoshis and readers alike are left in complete shock of how Kaleb would just call himself that, and Yoshi himself is quick to try and patch up his friend's feelings by telling him that he is in fact useful. They're beginning to understand what exactly their brother went through, and for the sake of him, they try to talk about the better times of the past. The Yoshis of course are then motivated even more to find this marauder who hurt and nearly took their friend away from them for good. In a way, they ARE avenging Kaleb's death.

· So, the Yoshis are looking for the villainous boy with the poison, when all of a sudden, a rain of magical blasts comes out of nowhere. No one gets hit thankfully, but what happens next is nothing short of heart-wrenching.

o Kaleb, remembering that moment when his own emotions caused a miniature tornado to form around him, is quick to blame himself for what just happened. The other Yoshis go into shock and try to tell him that it isn't his fault, but Kaleb won't have any of it. He goes as far as _abandoning_ his mantra and stating that he should have stuck with the belief that he's nothing but a monster, all while his friends are desperately trying to say otherwise. It's too late, though, and their beloved friend disappears off into the forest, most likely forever. They're then left to sob over how they failed to save him, voicing out loud that they just want him to come back to them. Unfortunately, things only get worse from here.

· Kamek and (Baby) Bowser then taunt them from the shadows before leaping out and abducting them, Parker included, a second time. Yoshi tries to play it brave and tell Kamek that he hasn't won yet, but by the end of his interrupted line, all of the Yoshis are tied up and muffled, screaming for help in tears. Luckily, this attracted the attention of a certain someone…

Chapter 8

· In a happy way, but the fact that Kaleb would put his friends before him and do all he could to save them (which turned out to be more than enough), despite his fears of himself and depression. That's a true hero AND a true friend right there.

· So, Kaleb just saved his nine friends and has banished the Koopa Troop to who-knows-where. You would think that after the battle that he would be amazed with what he can do now, or at the very least, less afraid of himself. The exact opposite is sadly the case, as when the others are congratulating him for basically soloing an _army_ , he's left in his own fearful thoughts of what just happened and how these newfound powers might cause harm to his friends. As such, his fears feel justified to him now. (After all, what _Yoshi_ can create a _black hole_ out of thin air?!) Kaleb eventually works up the courage to tell his friends that they need to split for good this time, which leaves them at a depressed loss of words. They resume begging for him to come back, all while Kaleb, in tears, tells them that he needs to retreat into the forest for their own good. While Kaleb is trying to give them his reasoning, you can tell that he too doesn't want to go on with this, but if it will protect his friends, then he will do it without hesitation.

o Think about it. Kaleb basically has the body of a deity now, but the mind and heart of a Yoshi who's just past the age of a toddler (if the implications are anything to go by). He has every right to be scared.

· Only, as he begins to leave, the others absolutely lose it in tears, causing Kaleb to undergo some flashbacks. He remembers all the fun and laughs he had with his closest friends, which tells HIM one thing: he can't leave them, especially not after they put Fruit Fest on hold _just for him_. Blue eyes and everything, he runs back to his sobbing friends, who themselves start crying in tears of joy, knowing that he's staying for good this time.

o Kaleb's reason for staying? _"_ _F-Forgive m-me," Kaleb sobbed. "I-I-I'm not brave enough to leave you guys."_ Basically, he's not even _considering_ his worth to them. Rather, he's admitting up front that they're the only source of comfort he's ever felt no matter what the trial, and that to leave them would be an eternity of tears and loneliness. In other words, losing his friends is scarier than _death_.

o At this, the others try to resume their encouraging and comforting him, telling him that it couldn't have possibly been his magic that targeted them in the forest, all while Kaleb himself is trying to tell them that it couldn't have happened any other way but from him. It's amazingly dark how much of an inferiority complex and self-depreciative this Yoshi is.

· When they finally start to convince him that his magic has only been used for good, and it looks like Kaleb's leaning towards the side of finally coming home with them, this line from Ralph sells the ENTIRETY of what the Yoshis have been feeling towards their friend and brother.

o _"_ _Kaleb, please… We want our FRIEND back… We MISS our optimistic and kind soul."_

o It's at that moment that Kaleb begins to understand what worth he has to his friends. Even though this might be the most tragic day of his life, at the same time, it's also his happiest. Even in death, he means the _world_ to them.

o His following response? _"Oh, guys…" "I promise… I promise that I won't leave you anymore. I can't let what's happened to me separate me from you. I PROMISE this time that I'm still your jolly little Kaleb."_

o And it's at that moment that the others know that they have their friend back. It took a lot of tears, as well as a battle, but they know then that Kaleb is saved. He may have been changed into Spooky Yoshi, but to them, he's still their own.

· However, as they leave for home, Kaleb's powers are set off again, causing the supernatural Yoshi to panic again. Give the poor thing a break, Pikmin-Volt! Let him experience some happiness! But wait…

· As Kaleb begins floating in the air and glowing pink for the first time, everyone begins to see that he's using his powers, this time to leech all the poison away that has thus far been implanted in the forest. And he's doing this how? Through the unconditional love that he feels for his friends that is reciprocated. Kaleb's _happiness, friendship and love_ are cleansing the forest.

· When Kaleb finishes up with the purifying, even _he_ is finally convinced that he's a pure-hearted soul who cares for those he loves. The chapter ends with him finally returning to his upbeat and cheerful personality as him and his friends walk out of the forest, hand and hand.

o Mikey, at one point, asks him where he sent the Koopa Troop when he drew them into the black hole. Kaleb, with a _giggle_ , tells them that out of kindness and respect, he spared _all of them_ , and sent them back to their castle.

Chapter 9:

· The other Yoshis beginning to fully understand their friend's feelings on the inside, and how terrified he must be. He was able to save the entire population as a result of his transformation, but he had to _sacrifice_ himself for it. Indeed, they really can't thank him enough for his love and bravery.

· Kaleb's return to the other Yoshis. He's tearfully proven wrong that he would be a freak to them as they welcome him back, telling him how they were so worried for him. He cries a river of joyous tears, glad that they still think of him as their friend.

o When they too hear the story of how Kaleb became Spooky Yoshi, they also understand his sacrifice for them and how as a result of becoming undead, he did nothing but save them. Kaleb is then tossed in the air in celebration before Fruit Fest is to begin.

· When Kaleb tearfully thanks his friends for saving him, he's basically recounting the mixed tragedy and beauty of the day that changed everything for him.

· Then comes his memory of Olly. The others share his pain and grief of losing his new human friend to the heartless kid, and they hope against all odds that he's okay wherever he is.

Chapter 10

· Starting from the near end of the chapter, other Yoshis begin to change in appearance similar to Kaleb, and they too obtain more abilities. They are a little afraid at first, but who do they come to when this happens? You guessed it. As more and more Yoshis change, it becomes evident that Kaleb has basically started a movement on diversity and change, and he has become the living icon for it in their circle. Kaleb himself couldn't feel more included at that time.

Chapter 11

· Kamek's plan to basically cause the extinction of the Yoshis and build a castle out of their _bodies_ is already tearjerker and nightmare fuel enough, but as the attack occurs on Kaleb's side…

o Basically, he and some friends are drained of their powers before they're treated to the sights of themselves being split into bundles of yarn, one after another. As Kaleb sees Kamek taking aim at a Shy Guy Yoshi, he jumps in front of the attack in an effort to save him. As Kamek sadistically points out, this only buys his friend a few more seconds before he too meets the same fate. His last moments are hoping that there will be survivors that can save them all.

· And save them all they do, Yoshi and Mikey so to speak. Through evading capture, they manage to start the rebuilding of Craft Island and the population of Yoshis, and as they get to the haunted lands, they manage to find all five bundles of yarn belonging to a very special friend of theirs. The reunion is this and heartwarming at the same time.

· Later, Yoshi and Kaleb make the final push towards the castle when Kamek attacks them personally again. He's about to restart the process of extinction again before Kaleb's powers come to the rescue and nullify Kamek's magic so that he can't do so anymore. Kamek then tries to ram Kaleb off the platform that he and Yoshi are standing on, which prompts Yoshi to tackle his friend out of the way and into the abyss anyways… Well… until they both grow wings and start flying.

· The reunion between the ten main friends shown in this story is nothing short of this and heartwarming, following Baby Bowser's defeat.

· Learning the fate of the Shy Guys that were turned against the Yoshis by Kamek's magic certainly counts as this, as they were basically used as puppets and discarded into jail whenever deemed useless.

· When the Yoshis and Shy Guys have finally found every last one of themselves, they get one more revelation from a strange telepathic talking egg. Said egg reveals that the Star Spirits created this world for the Yoshis to commend them for being such jolly little dinos, and how this was supposed to be their gift. It then apologizes for letting evil come into this world, to which the Yoshis and Shy Guys forgive it for. To make up for this, the egg then presents them with a few final challenges which they complete. Their reward? The egg generates _four new Yoshis_ (bronze, silver, gold and platinum), and the Yoshis are tearfully thankful. A nice end to this part of the epilogue indeed.

Chapter 12

· This chapter opens up on Kaleb having a _nightmare_ (turned dream). It starts all cheery, what with him playing with his friends, but then he's brought back to the time where he first gazed upon his new form via reflection by a pond. He prepares to be horrified and saddened just like the last time, but instead, he sees how he looked before he transformed. As he wonders why this is happening, Yoshi comes up from behind him and begins comforting the sobbing dinosaur, not wanting for him to feel any angst, and voicing his own regrets of how he wasn't there for him when he needed it. Everyone, Yoshis and Shy Guys included, then comes up to him and starts lift him into their circle again and cheer his name.

o Then Kaleb wakes up as soon as he realizes that his friends are calling for him outside the dream as well, and the first thing he does is hug them. They immediately get the message, and ask if he's okay.

o He responds by telling them that it started out as a nightmare, but then _they_ appeared in his own dream to help them. The revelation moves them to tears and warms their hearts. They're glad that he knows that he can fall back on them.

· Then, Ralph correctly guesses why Kaleb had that dream. The Yoshis have always let little children visit their home for a few days. Now that they've discovered Craft Island, they've chosen today to show it and the new forms that the majority of them have taken to the kids. They immediately come to understand that Kaleb is worried about how they'll react to him after how it's been different all those other years. They spend the next few hours comforting him.

o When the time comes, the children arrive, and are amazed by the place and by what the Yoshis have become. Only, Kaleb is hiding in the crowd of his friends, still afraid of what will happen next. Some friends take him to the side to try and give him some courage, which eventually works…

· Only, when Kaleb tries introducing himself to the others, they practically panic in fear, which causes the undead dino to curl up and begin crying as his friends angrily defend him from their accusations. Things get really tense after they reveal that this "monster" is in fact Kaleb, the one who was kind enough to be one of the first to greet them all during the previous years. At this, the kids start to cry in remorse and beg for Kaleb's forgiveness. Kaleb, realizing that he really does have his friends to fall back on, thanks them and forgives the children, and within an hour, they're good friends again, Kaleb giving them rides and everything. However…

· Then, it's discovered that someone named Dan has gone missing. It's deduced that this must've happened when Kaleb first showed his face to them all. Notice how said Spooky Yoshi droops down in sadness and guilt when this is said. But right afterwards, he's the first to assure the children that this boy will be found and returned to them safely.

o And when Dan is saved, he too feels the guilt of mistaking Kaleb for a monster, which Kaleb, being a good boy, forgives.

· Following the ordeal and some tragic storytelling, Kaleb decides not to dwell on the sad moments too much, and announces play time during the night at the plaza for everyone. At that moment, he becomes so happy that not only do his eyes turn pink again, but he also grows _wings_ , a power central to all Yoshis, whether in times of crisis or complete joy. The Yoshis and Shy Guys that see this are themselves overjoyed that Kaleb is ecstatic and feels included again, as they have constantly been worrying over him starting from that one fateful day.

· After that, and when everyone's falling asleep, Dan is about to, when he sees Kaleb sitting down, staring into the sky. Upon closer approach, he sees that his eyes are glowing blue. When he notices him, Kaleb, at first subtly, but eventually in hysterics, voices his regrets to him about not being able to save Olly that day months ago. He feels like it's his fault for not discovering his powers soon enough, and that if he used them, Olly would be okay. Dan, and eventually everyone else too, comfort him and assure him that Olly is surely still out there somewhere… alive. And ever since the talk with Dan, Kaleb has become a forest guardian, not only to scare off threats, but so that one day, he can find Olly again… Kaleb's friends note in the next chapter onward of how finding Olly might be the one thing that can permanently stop Kaleb's flashes of fear and depression.

Chapter 13

· Kaleb blaming himself for not waking early enough to say goodbye to the Heroes of the Four Sword, despite having run himself into the ground every single day and night in guarding the forest. His friends reveal that they're getting worried over the amount of commitment that he's putting in, and that they let him rest to get some strength back.

o Mitigated in that Kaleb gets to see the heroes later in the day.

· In a happy sort of way, but the fact that Red Link and Blue Link immediately take a shine to Kaleb following a skirmish with some enemy Shy Guys. This is the first time that humans (albeit those that have transformed into Yoshis themselves) have warmed up to him so quickly.

· The story as a whole is a very big tearjerker. Basically, Kaleb, the _youngest of his friends_ , gets mercilessly killed off by a maniac, before someone attempts to save him but seemingly and accidentally turns him into Spooky Yoshi. Kaleb then finds out that that day was his last day alive as he is now undead, tries and fails to adopt a new personality because he feels like he's forced to, is saved by his friends, and in return, saves the _entire population_ of Yoshis. He may be a hero, but he _died an undeserved death_.

· _If you ever get the chance to say it, PLEASE let Kaleb know that his sacrifice was NOT in vain. If you ever see him feeling down, tell him that he is loved, and that he means so much to his friends._

· _And if you ever run into anyone who considers themselves a freak, inside or out, you let them know that they have a place in this world, and a place in the hearts of many, especially yours._


	3. Heartwarming

A Friend in the Undead: Tv Tropes: Heartwarming

This _is_ a story about a Yoshi that encounters death, but even so, that doesn't stop the Yoshis from spreading their contagious happiness across the pages. Even a Spooky Yoshi story can have its cheerful moments, and a lot of 'em.

Chapter 1:

· The start of the story as a whole. We get to see Kaleb's character, who is nothing short of what a Yoshi is: cheerful, loving and full of energy. The story opens with him having happy dreams about what he's going to do with his friends when Fruit Fest starts during the night, and even the preparations before then. As soon as Yoshi and his friends knock on his door, he's up and at 'em, ready to go! The first part of the day is nothing but another adventure with three of his best friends!

o Of course, this sets the story up for its more tearjerker parts later on, starting with chapter 2.

· When Kaleb starts to get down on himself about how he didn't collect enough fruits, the others are quick to try and cheer him up. This of course sets the stage to show in this moment as well as the near future how much they care for him. Since he _is_ the youngest of his ten friends, it only makes since that they treat him like a precious little brother.

o That fact in itself drives in more tearjerker and heartwarming moments later on in the story.

Chapter 3

· Kaleb is on the brink of death, and it seems that no one will find him in time. However, a hero comes to him in the form of someone named Olly, a developing scientist who absolutely adores Yoshis. The story already describes him as an innocent young child who's occasionally made fun of for his love of the dinos, but when he sees Kaleb in his poisoned state, he immediately jumps into action, making a beeline for the forest exit, all while begging Kaleb not to leave. When it becomes apparent that he can't seem to find the way out, _Kaleb_ , knowing full well his good intentions, uses all the strength he has left to point the way out for him. By the time they're out of there, Kaleb absolutely _knows_ that he can trust his knew human friend and hero.

Chapter 4

· When Olly takes Kaleb to his home, he tells his parents that he needs to save Kaleb before it's too late. Following an argument in which they tell him that he might not be ready for this, they retract their statements in an apology and announce their full faith in their son. Olly then heroically walks his patient into the lab.

o Kaleb gives his parents a little wave as they go downstairs.

· Ever since the previous chapter, Kaleb has grown to like Olly more and more. At this point, he wants to hold onto life, so that he can introduce him to his friends! And this is after Olly promised him a lot of fruit too. D 'aww…

· As Kaleb is waiting for the medicine to take effect, he begins to tell Olly of how much like a Yoshi he is. Olly himself blushes at this, being rather humble in not thinking that he's _that_ close to one.

· When the antidote appears to heal Kaleb fully, he's back to his happy and eccentric self, and hugs his doctor as a sign of thanks. Olly is beside himself in disbelief that he actually did it.

o Sadly, it only seems to work for a moment or so before Kaleb falls back down to a state near death.

Chapter 5

· As Olly frantically searches for a cure to rescue his dying new friend, he comes to the cruel realization that it's too late. As he begins to sob in defeat, Kaleb has a few final words for his doctor that double as this and tearjerker.

o _"I-It's… okay. I don't want- you- to think that y-you're a f-f-ailure for this. Y-You w-w-were brave enough to t-try…"_

o Kaleb is certainly afraid of dying, especially at an age so young, but for the sake of his friend, he'll go out with a smile, forgiving his friend and telling him not to feel guilty for seemingly failing.

· Kaleb's immediate plan of action to rescue Olly from the villain's clutches. He could care less of what he looks like at the moment. To him, Olly is the most important.

· The Yoshis' plan to not only save their friend despite the danger, but also to stop Fruit Fest preparations for his sake. They're not afraid to jump into peril, and they're not afraid of harm coming to them. They're more concerned and worried for Kaleb.

Chapter 6

· So, Kaleb has just seen his new appearance (as well as used one of his many new powers for the first time), and is hence planning to live out the rest of his undead existence in the forest, alone and without friends. But said friends won't have ANY of that. They find him as he stops by the entrance, causing him to run off in fear that they won't love him anymore. Wondering why their friend has run away from them instead, they try to track him down, not intending to leave him behind despite their growing exhaustion through the search. The story outright says that they know that it would be shameful to just leave him behind.

· When Yoshi finally finds their lost friend, Kaleb is desperately _begging_ Yoshi to leave before he sees his new face. Yoshi, however, won't, stating that Kaleb is his friend no matter what. When Kaleb gives up and gives his friend one last chance to leave, asking him what he thinks he'll see if he looks at his face (a line straight from Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Yoshi replies with an equivalent of Han Solo's line.

o _"I KNOW I'll see the face of my dear friend! The friend I had ever since we were little toddlers!"_

· When Kaleb has a magical outburst on Yoshi for trying to comfort him, he expects to look up from the ground and see no one, as he thought to have scared his friends off forever. Instead, he finds them _all_ circling around him, ready for him to cry into their shoulders. He's absolutely stunned that they're still here, wondering why they would be friends with a freak like him. They all voice their encouraging words to him.

o _"You are a kind and loving soul who cares for his friends and family," Tom assured him._ _  
_ _"You are part of our clan!" Parker informed him.  
"You're amazing to be with!" Cameron cheered.  
"You make Yoshi's Island a better place to live in!" Xavier told him.  
"You care about everyone's needs before yours!" Dave proudly stated.  
"Most of all… you're our friend and brother," Ralph stated with compassion._

o Yoshi sums it up by saying a point mentioned earlier in this page; that the scariest thing possible would be losing Kaleb forever, and that since he's still here, this is the happiest day of their lives. The group then hugs for a long while.

o The author notes a couple times that this story takes place a few months after the German Yoshi's Story comic, which touched on diversity. Seems like the Yoshis have improved a lot, seeing the good heart that Kaleb has, and not paying any mind to his appearance.

· Following Kaleb telling his tragedy to everyone, they all feel like they failed at being good friends for him. Kaleb, however, doesn't want them to feel at fault for this, repeating to them as they first told him that he's still alive and with them all. He then speaks a mantra that he goes by to this day.

o _"_ _No matter how I might change on the outside, you reminded me that on the inside, I am a happy and cheerful Yoshi who won't let even death keep him down!"_ How sweet… It really shows signs of returning.

o His eyes have turned _yellow_ in happiness too for the first time.

§ _It's not that easy though, as seen in the next chapter._

· When Kaleb recalls that the villain is still out there in the woods, poisoning the forest, the others are quick to join his cause, Yoshi saying that this ordeal never was his problem in the first place. Kaleb smiles, knowing that he has his friends to fall back on.

Chapter 7

· The Yoshis cheering Kaleb on as he leads the way. As if that wasn't enough, when Kaleb starts slipping back into self-deprecation again, they're quick to reassure him that no matter what powers he may have or what he looks like, he is a friend and brother to them.

o Kaleb starting to take a position of leadership in general can qualify. Even after what's happened, he's still willing to contribute to the adventure.

Chapter 8

· You can already tell by the familiar egg scene referenced from the Yoshi's Story comic that Kaleb is coming back to help his friends. He might be frightened out of his mind right now, what with having transformed and all, but to him, losing his friends would hurt more than even _death._

· Kaleb's curb stomping the Koopa Troop. In the moment, he looks like he's having a BLAST defending his friends. He's even playing fair and giving the enemies multiple chances to back out.

o Kaleb saving his friends gets a tearful thank you from them all. Kaleb gives a confident nod before _leading_ them into the rest of the battle.

· Following the battle, Kaleb is left in complete shock at his new capabilities, all while his friends are busy congratulating him. He might not see it, but his friends do: He's not a freak. He's AMAZING!

· The true reunion scene. Enough said. Kaleb finds the belief that he's a monster valid now. As he tells his friends that he must go, he begins to depart until they break down in tears. Kaleb then begins to remember some good times with them. Realizing that he cannot leave them even if he wanted to, he rushes back to them in tears, telling them that he's, "not brave enough to leave them." They instead tell him of how he's brave enough to stay with them, and that his powers are a reflection of himself. Still doubting, Kaleb listens to Tom concluding that the spell that drove him off earlier was from Kamek instead, which he eventually comes to agree with. Ralph then begs their wonderful friend to come back.

o _"_ _Kaleb, please… We want our FRIEND back... We MISS our optimistic and kind soul."_

· The line above _sells_ it to Kaleb that regardless of the tragedy that changed his appearance, he has _worth_ to them as a friend and brother. They _care_ about him.

o Kaleb then dances happily with everyone before they all start to head home.

· But then, Kaleb begins to turn a new color: pink. As he rises up into the air, afraid of what might happen, everyone begins to notice liquid rising up into the air along with their friend. They know what this means: Pink is the color that Kaleb projects when he's _absolutely_ happy, and that he's _using_ said happiness and love to _cleanse the forest._

· And when Kaleb touches back down? Even _he_ finally sees who he truly is: a hero and a friend.

o _"_ _I'm ready, guys! I KNOW that everything will be okay!"_

§ This is said while his eyes are _still_ glowing pink.

· As everyone begins walking back home to start Fruit Fest, Mikey asks Kaleb where he sent the Koopa Troop when he pulled them into the void. Kaleb, with a _childish giggle,_ tells them all that he _spared them all out of kindness._ The act of a Yoshi indeed.

Chapter 9

· As Kaleb's friends begin to fully understand how terrified their friend must be feeling, even if he managed to save the forest like this, they begin profusely thanking him. Kaleb's answer?

o _"Losing you is what scares me the most, and because you've taught me that, I can't thank YOU enough. If it wasn't for you, I would have withdrawn into the forest where I would spend all of my time believing myself to be an enemy. But now, I can rest easy knowing that I know who I am, and that's who I always WAS."_

· Kaleb's reunion with the rest of the Yoshis. He's understandably nervous of how they too will react at first, but those fears are immediately extinguished when they, just like his nine closest friends, bawl in tears that they're just glad he's back. They even acknowledge themselves that Kaleb sacrificed himself for all of them. Kaleb then gets the cheerful tossing treatment before Fruit Fest begins.

· Kaleb gives a tearful and heartfelt message of thanks to the Yoshis for bringing him back as his Fruit Fest speech. Of course, he doesn't forget the other hero out there who helped _him_ stay alive: Olly. He voices his fear that Olly might be in danger, and they all hope with all their hearts that he's okay.

· Just when it looks like the festivities are about to begin, though, a band of white-cloaked Shy Guys appears. Turns out, they're the same ones who abducted Kaleb's friends earlier. Only now (and after Kaleb teases them a bit through some spooking), they reveal that thanks to Kaleb scaring them witless, they've turned over a new leaf, ala Octolings in the Splatoon series. To prove it, they go find more fruit for their new friends before the celebration begins and everyone enjoys themselves for the next few days. A nice start of the epilogue indeed.

Chapter 10

· This chapter opens up with the narrator telling everyone that Kaleb has been doing better than well in the past few days. It's been nothing but the sunshine and rainbows that Yoshis are known for. Kaleb still lives, inside and out. From here to the end of the story and beyond, we get to see his adorably playful side pop in often.

· The Yoshis' and Shy Guys' discovery of Craft Island is a nice moment of accomplishment for them. They're absolutely elated with the prospect of having found a new land that just… represents them in such a beautiful way.

· Then comes the time when more Yoshis start to change in a manner similar to Kaleb. Of course, this means that they now _look to him_ to guide them in discovering their new abilities, and Kaleb couldn't feel more included and happy. It brings tears of joy to his eyes when he starts helping them discover said new abilities.

Chapter 11

· Though things look bleak in Kamek's plan to cause the extinction of the Yoshis, Kaleb, in his last moments before being turned into five bundles of wool, is confident that his friends will save him.

· And save him and the others that were captured they do. Yoshi and Mikey get the honor of bringing back Kaleb personally, and the three of them couldn't be more overjoyed. Following this, Kaleb joins the team, and even helps Yoshi through the final push towards Bowser's castle.

· During said trek, Kamek attempts to impede their progress and turn them both into yarn bundles. This time however, Kaleb saves the day again by taking Kamek's ability to turn them into yarn bundles away. Kamek, enraged by this, attempts to ram Kaleb off the edge of the platform he and Yoshi are standing on, only for Yoshi to dive and get him out of the way, but at the cost of them falling off anyways. However, they grow wings since this is a time of crisis for them before Kaleb angrily ground pounds Kamek.

· During the final battle, when it looks like Yoshi and Mikey might lose against a giant Baby Bowser, Kaleb and the other saved Yoshis all grow wings and fly up to help and encourage their two friends by distracting the final boss and cheering them on. This gives them the strength they need to heal back up to full (as well as grow wings themselves) and finish off Baby Bowser.

· The reunion between Kaleb, Yoshi, Mikey and the other seven friends is this. The others are regretful for being used as tools for Baby Bowser, to which Kaleb assures them that it wasn't their fault.

· They then go on to save some Shy Guys imprisoned in the castle. After some apologies and more forgiveness, they then go on to save the rest of their kinds. _No one is left behind_ , and within a week, _everyone_ is saved.

· Just as it looks like the adventure's over and done with though, they all get one last surprise. The nest in the middle of the central plaza? It's been housing a _sentient egg_ that has a message for them. It tells them that Craft Island was a world made by the _Star Spirits_ out of their thanks for their countless kind acts throughout the years since their creation. Following an apology of allowing the evil of Kamek and Bowser to enter this world, it decides to make it up to the Yoshis and Shy Guys through one final trek through the Wonderful World of Wool as well as a Boss Rush. Following the completion of these, the Yoshis and Shy Guys are rewarded _four more Yoshis, each of a new type._ They are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Yoshis, newborns that the Yoshis couldn't be happier to have in their family.

Chapter 12

· Kaleb starts off this chapter with a dream-turned nightmare flashback which depicts him looking down onto the river's reflection to see his new appearance, except he sees how he used to look.

o The symbolism behind this? He's afraid of seeing a monster on the other side, but instead, he sees what he truly is: a loving, playful and caring Yoshi.

· Yoshi then appears behind him, and when it becomes clear to the green dino that his friend's in distress again, he doesn't hesitate to remind him that he is a wonderful brother to all of them, and that he was there at the tragic scene of the poisoning that day, that he wouldn't have hesitated to defend him from what became his sacrifice for the Yoshi population. Everyone else, Yoshis and Shy Guys alike, then comes along and begins cheering Kaleb's name over and over while lifting him into a circle again.

· And when Kaleb wakes up, the first thing he does is hug his worried friends. He thanks them for being in his dreams, where he thought he wouldn't be safe from the nightmares. The others are, in turn, touched to know that he is following their words of assurance in case he needs them.

· When it's discovered that Kaleb had that dream last night because of an annual event that's going to happen today (in where some children are coming to visit Craft Island for the first time as they have done with Yoshi's Island every time before), his friends assure him that if they think of him as a monster, then they will do everything they can to show them otherwise.

o As the children are welcomed to the island and begin to marvel at it and the new Yoshis, Kaleb has withdrawn into the center of the crowd, still worried over what might happen. Some friends pull him over and give him some encouragement that he CAN show them that Kaleb is still alive.

· Of course, as it happens, Kaleb's new appearance ends up scaring the children, but his friends, true to their words, are quick to defend him from any prejudice and accusations, revealing to them that this is indeed Kaleb, _the one who would always be one of the first Yoshis to greet them every time they came._ After some more tears, they're good friends with the Spooky Yoshi again.

· When it's discovered that someone named Dan has gone missing, Kaleb, despite knowing that it was because of his appearance that he did so, doesn't hesitate to start a search for the missing boy. Even after all of the hurtful words directed at him, all he's going to do next is save one of their own. Now THAT'S a hero.

· When Kaleb detects the missing child, one of the Yoshis wants to go help him save Dan, but another Yoshi stops him, telling him that if Kaleb saves the boy alone, then he'll have no reason to believe that he's a monster. The Yoshis in the haunted lands watch proudly as one of their own goes to singlehandedly save a human child from danger. They _know_ that Kaleb can do it.

· As you would guess, the rescue is a complete success, and as a bonus, even more Shy Guys are turned from their evil ways. As Kaleb approaches Dan, the child backs off in fear until realizing and having it confirmed to him that Kaleb is the one who saved him. Kaleb gladly forgives him for running away and carries him back to safety, where everyone else is waiting for them.

· As soon as they reach their friends, everyone's cheering for Kaleb's victory and Dan's return. Dan doesn't hesitate to tout Kaleb's amazing powers, which causes the latter to blush with magenta eyes. They all walk home happy that night.

· Following a tragic story relived by Kaleb, the undead dinosaur tells them that they shouldn't dwell on the past, that he's thankful to still be alive, and that it's time to have fun. As he's giving the children rides, he becomes so happy that he grows wings and his eyes turn pink. This is indeed Kaleb at his brightest. He's just so playful and joyous, even after what's happened to him.

o The other Yoshis and Shy Guys are even happy for him too, considering how he has sometimes fallen into fear and depression. To them, it's like watching a little sibling happily playing.

· After that, and when everyone's going to bed, Dan spots Kaleb looking off into the sky. Kaleb, in tears, tells him that he misses Olly and blames himself for not saving him. Of course, this is met with the comforting from not only Dan, but all of his friends as they voice their beliefs that Olly is surely alive out there wherever he is. Following this gathering, Kaleb vows to protect the forest, not only to drive out evil, but so he can find his friend one day. He _knows_ that he'll come to the forest to find him. And when he does, Kaleb will be ready with open arms.

Chapter 13

· Kaleb, since the end of the last chapter, has kept to his promise of being a forest guardian, and has woken up early and stayed up late to watch over the forest and search for Olly. No matter how tired he may get, he has been dedicated in his goals.

· When he wakes up later than he would have liked on one particular day, he's distraught to find out that he missed the goodbye to some new friends of the Yoshis, the Heroes of the Four Sword in particular. His friends point out that they let him sleep in because they're worried about the lack of sleep he's been getting.

o And even after they try to convince him to let someone else take over that day, Kaleb refuses and elects to guard the forest anyways… at the price of letting the others do it for the next week for his sake.

· A few hours into the job that day, he finds some enemy Shy Guys harassing Red Link and Blue Link, two Heroes of the Four Sword. Leaping into action, he scares the enemies off (and the heroes by accident for a moment). Once the two (Yoshified) brothers calm down, Kaleb introduces himself to them, amazing them with his appearance, powers and kindness. Within less than a few minutes, Kaleb has already made a couple of friends in the form of two human-turned-Yoshis, who are absolutely blown away by what he can do. Kaleb must feel honored to have saved and befriended two legendary heroes.

· Oh, right. He gets to meet their three brothers, who are themselves Yoshis at the time. The rest of the evening is spent with laughs and a bunch of storytelling.

· This fanfiction as a whole is not only heartwarming, but it teaches its readers not to judge anyone by how they look. Basically, a few months after Yoshis have begun accepting diversity more, they're put to the test when the _youngest_ of them is killed and turned into a sentient zombie. Instead of shunning him, they accept him, knowing full well that he is their Kaleb, and in a returning act of kindness, Kaleb saves them _all_. To this day, they still play games and have fun with each other, none excluding Kaleb because he's different now. If anything, they are AMAZED by what he can do now.

o It's heartwarming on Kaleb's side too. He was lucky enough to meet a human who cared so much for him, and did all he could to save him, which he _did_. Said human ended up saving the entire population of Yoshis through Kaleb too. What a dynamic duo. To this day, Kaleb is _bent_ on returning the favor to try and find his new best human friend so that they can finally have all the fun envisioned by them.

o More so on Kaleb's side, it must have been a beautiful tearjerker to find out how much you meant to your friends, even in an undead state. To him, _his friends ARE his power._

· So, if you happen to see the hero, how about you add on to this page of heartwarming moments, and tell him that he is such a lovable creature of happiness who saves those he loves. Accept him for who he is, inside and out, and I'm sure one day, he'll return the favor.

· And accept others into your life. They might be different on the outside, but look at who they are on the inside. They might be just like you…


End file.
